Spottedleaf's Heart/Chapter 9
Chapter Summary :Sunstar gives Tigerclaw his warrior name, his paws leaving prints in the snow. The Clan calls out both Tigerclaw and Whitestorms' new names. Tigerclaw stares at his Clan while Whitestorm's eyes shine next to him. Bluefur comments on how Snowfur would be proud of the white warrior, and Poppydawn tells the blue-gray she-cat that one day she'll be watching her own kits earn their names, pointing at Bluefur's round belly. Rosetail wonders out loud who the father of the Bluefur's kits will be. Fuzzypelt tells her that it's probably Thrushpelt, while she argues that they're never together. Spottedpaw looks at her former mentor, and she thinks that they were mates because the sandy-gray tom was fond of Bluefur. She then regrets not giving him the change to see his apprentice. She thinks about how she still has plenty of learning from Featherwhisker, and how it would be a long time until she receives her medicine cat name. :Spottedpaw's fur tingles as she knows Thistleclaw's watching her. It is noted that he wanted to become deputy after the well-liked, frail Tawnyspots, and that the gray-and-white warrior is an obvious choice for Sunstar to make. The dappled apprentice then thinks about how it's hard to look at Thistleclaw sometimes, but her heart isn't foolish anymore. Featherwhisker comes up from behind Spottedpaw. He tells her to empty the herb store so he can which herbs he has. She follows her mentor and he meows that ThunderClan welcomes kits, but exclaims that Bluefur and White-eye should have waited. White-eye gave birth to Mousekit and Runningkit in leaf-fall, but Bluefur's kits may struggle. Spottedpaw had lined feathers around the unborn kits' nest. Featherwhisker purrs, saying they will have all on the Clan helping the kits, as they don't give up on the tiny cats. :Later, Bluefur snaps at Spottedpaw, telling her stop feeling her with her paws. The medicine cat apprentice jumps backwards, asking if she hurt the queen. Featherwhisker tells her queens are crabby when kitting, and teases Bluefur, meowing some are more crabby than usual. Bluefur retorts, telling the tom he would be very crabby if he'd been kitting for as long as she was. White-eye asks how the kitting she-cat is, and Spottedpaw assures her. The tortoiseshell then tries to move in front of Mousekit and her brother,who are staring unbelieving at Bluefur. Featherwhisker tells Spottedpaw what to do when the first kit is born. Soon, the first kit is born. Spottedpaw nips at the kitting-sac. Featherwhisker announces that he's a tom, and Bluefur asks if he's okay. The kit is still, and Featherwhisker tells Spottedpaw to lick the newborn. The apprentice licks the tom, and Bluefur asks if her son is breathing. Featherwhisker assures her and puts him at his mother's belly. Bluefur licks her kit and meows that he's beautiful, and Spottedpaw agrees. :Bluefur then gives birth to a she-kit. Featherwhisker tells the blue-gray she-cat that she still has one more kit to give birth to. Spottedpaw encourages the tired queen, and she gives birth to the last she-cat. Featherwhisker announces that the three kits are healthy. Thrushpelt asks if Bluefur is okay, and Featherwhisker tells the sandy-gray tom that she's fine and has given birth to two she-cats and a tom. He enters the nursery and muzzles Bluefur's ears. Spottedpaw gives them privacy by wiggling backwards. She realizes Thrushpelt is the father, and notices how they never spend time together in front of other cats like other mates such as Robinwing and Patchpelt, and Sparrowpelt and White-eye. White-eye asks what the newborn kits' names are. The blue-gray she-cat then names her kits Mistykit, Stonekit and Mosskit. Featherwhisker teases her, saying she was always determined, not letting Thrushpelt name his kits. Spottedpaw wonders if Featherwhisker thinks Thrushpelt isn't the father, and Spottedpaw thinks about who it can be. She stops these thoughts, and feels warm as she looks at her new Clanmates. The dappled tortoiseshell vows to protect Mistykit, Stonekit and Mosskit, and then purrs, noting that being a medicine cat is the better than she thought. Characters Major }} Minor *Sunstar *Whitestorm *Bluefur *Poppydawn *Rosetail *Fuzzypelt *Thistleclaw *Featherwhisker *White-eye *Mouskit *Runningkit *Thrushpelt *Mistykit *Stonekit *Mosskit }} Mentioned *Halftail *Robinwing *Patchpelt }} Important events Births *Bluefur gives birth to Mistykit, Stonekit and Mosskit. Ceremonies Notes and references Category:Spottedleaf's Heart Category:Chapter subpages Category:Novellas